Published 5:30 am, Monday, August 8, 2011

After working on his own in the first week, linebacker Brian Cushing might join practice later this week.

After working on his own in the first week, linebacker Brian Cushing might join practice later this week.

Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle

Texans have suffered few setbacks in training camp

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The Texans hardly made it through their first week of training camp unscathed, with Arian Foster and Andre Johnson going down with injuries — and Brian Cushing never getting down to work - but the "worst-case scenario" for which trainer Geoff Kaplan had prepared didn't come to pass.

Although he was caught off-guard by the stomach flu that took out a player or two every day, Kaplan confirmed that almost all the Texans reported in excellent shape and none was overly stressed by the heat.

"I'm very happy with how the guys prepared themselves," he said. "I had no idea what to expect, having never been through a situation like this before, but conditioning hasn't been an issue. Even the players coming off surgery have held up. It's a big relief for all of us."

Cushing's improvement

Inside linebacker Cushing is the only Texan who has been held out, but he's also the only one who had surgery after last season, getting the patella tendon in his right knee repaired by Dr. James Andrews in January. Cushing could have benefited from the strict, regimented rehab regimen Kaplan and strength and conditioning coach Cedric Smith would have imposed on him, but he's expected to make up enough lost time to be in the lineup against Indianapolis on Sept. 11.

Cushing could be practicing by Wednesday or Thursday, coach Gary Kubiak said.

"Hopefully he'll be back on the field and toward the weekend we'll see where he's at," Kubiak said.

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The lack of offseason communication between coaches and players coupled with new restrictions - imposed by the collective bargaining agreement that resulted from the labor dispute - on how much time teams can spend in practice have the Texans playing more catch-up than Kubiak prefers.

Still, the coach, like the trainer Kaplan, counts his blessings.

"I think we'll be pretty close to everybody being on the same page when we get back to work Tuesday morning," Kubiak said. "Our trainers and our staff did a great job of preparing for this first week, as crazy as it was. I wish we'd had all the off-season time, but I feel good about where we are.

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"We're behind from the standpoint of the volume of teaching. I mean, defensively, (coordinator) Wade (Phillips) has had this football team for six days. That's unbelievable. They've done a hell of a job.

"Offensively, I think our timing is not where it should be. Some of that stems from us not working together. When you're not working with (NFL rushing leader) Arian (Foster) in there and (Pro Bowl wide receiver) Andre (Johnson) missed a week basically, that affects you and what you're doing.

"I'm anxious to get all those guys back. But I'm sure everyone else has their problems, too."

Dubious distinction

Then there's the weather. Once again, the Texans lead the NFL in thermometer readings at camp.

"It's been hot, exceptionally hot, but we've held up for good two-hour practices and we're recovering well," Kubiak said. "I think our mental toughness and our conditioning has been pretty good."

Noting the players were given a workout program by Smith while they were barred from team facilities from February until just before camp, Kubiak said: "Those guys that stuck to it, they're really moving forward."